Railway car construction



June` 2, 1942. c. D. BONSALL 2,284,721V

RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 2, 1942- c. D. BoNsALL.

RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 2G, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheeil 2 'Meir ILIL /r fllld'lllllifllllllilll Patented June 2, 1942 UNITEDV STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION charles D. Bonsall, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Standard Railway Devices Company, a corporation of Delaware Application April 20, 1939, Serial No. 269,005

9 Claims.

t vThe invention relates to ventilated house cars and particularly to the conversion of refrigerator cars to cars adapted to be operated under ventilation. i i t Y t o A common type of refrigerator carpwhich has been ingeneral use fora period of many years has ice bunkers disposed adjacent opposite end Walls ofthe car with hatches thereabove in the roof for loading refrigerant. The central portion of the car is the lading compartment; bulkheads are provided adjacent each ice bunker to define the ends of the lading compartment. The bulkheads lhave considerable strength to resist the thrusts of the lading caused by service movements of the car. The lading'is commonly supported within the lading compartment'by floor racks which provide a space between the lading and the floor of 'the car. The bulkheads are spaced from the floor and from the roof so that air, upon being cooled by the refrigerant in the bunker circulates under the bulkheadsV to the space below the lading. The'air then circulates upwardly through the floor rack,` which is forarninous for the purpose, through the lading com-1 partment and over the bulkheads to the ice bunkers.

In recent years, more modern types of refrigm erator cars have seen considerable service. There are mechanical refrigeratorcars, dry ice cars, side bunker cars and particularly overhead bunker cars. The last mentioned is becoming increasingly popular because it is more eflicient due to the height of the refrigerant above the lading, making possible the maintaining of lower and more uniform temperatures. .In addition, more space is available for the lading on account of the absence of ice bunkers at the ends of the.

cars. Y

The advent of the new types of refrigerator cars has presented the problem of disposing of the old cars. It is not economically sound to operate an old type of car when a new and `more efficient type is available. Neither is it sound to scrap cars which are Ain good mechanical condition and have years of service remaining. It is an object of this invention to convert refrigerator cars to Ventilated cars. Many fresh fruits and vegetables give off heat during storageor transportation. This heat results from chemical changes occurring within the fruit or vegetable, such vas ripening. While many such products may be safely transported at any temperature within a relatively wide range it is important that fresh air be supplied continuously to carry away the heat which is constantly emitted. To

allow the heat to remain within the lading compartment is to increase the temperature excessively with a consequent acceleration of ripening Y and possible spoilage.

It is an object of this invention to convert a refrigerator car to a ventilated car by providing means for the air to enter through the hatches at one end of the car, permeate through the lading within the car and flow out of the car hatches and reaching the lading. Many typesv of lading are damaged by moisture and since cars must be ventilated during rainy weather, means must be provided to trap the moisture which accompanies the Ventilating air.

A further object is to adapt the car so `that air may enter at either end and flow out at the opposite end, thereby permitting the car to be joperated in either direction.

Other objects and advantages of my invention Will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a car embodying my invention. y

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2`2 of Fig. 1. l

Fig. 3 'is a broken away perspective view of a car showing `direction of air flow.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a refrigerator car from which the car shown in Figs. l to 3 was converted.

Fig. 4 shows an end bunker refrigerator car comprising roof 2, end walls 3, floor 4, ice bunkers 5, bulkheads 6, hatches l, lading compartment 8, floor rack 9 and space l0 between the Like numerals indicate likev rack and oor. parts in all gures. The conversion of the refrigerator car of Fig. 4 to a Ventilating car comprises removal of the bunkers 5 and bulkheads Bfand the addition of parts which will be'hereinafter described. `Insulating hatch covers 20 are commonly provided to prevent ingress `of warm air to refrigerator cars. The covers ordinarily have no fixed `relation to the hatch frames!! butV are attached thereto by means `of a chain to prevent loss; in more modern cars, the covers are often hinged as shown in Fig. 1. The conversion of some types of cars requires no changes in hatch cover arrangement to conform to that shown in Fig. 1;

in other types of cars, the hinges 24 and supporting pieces 25 must be added. 'I'he supporting pieces 25are preferably adjustable so that the covers 20 may be opened varying distances. Additional sections of oor racks 2l should also be addedto the portion of the car originally occupied by the ice bunkers 5.

The Ventilating means comprises means to direct air from outside through the hatches at one end of the car to the space under the licor rack and means to allow the air to escape through the hatches at the other end of the car. Arpartition is spaced from each end wall 3 to form iiues 36 communicating at the lower ends thereof with the space IU under the floor rack 9. The upper end of each partition 35 is spaced from the roof 2 to f-orm the openings 38. A pan 40 is positioned below each hatch 1; said pan rests at one end thereof upon the upper edge of the partition 35 and is secured at the other endto the side 4| of the hatch frame i2 most remote from the partition 35. Each pan has a wall upstanding therefrom at the edge thereof adjacent the center of the car and a flange 45 at the edge thereof adjacent the side wall of the car. The portion of the IcarY ceiling between the hatches 'I at each end of the car is preferably removed and replaced by a member 43 having its body portion disposed an appreciable distance above the lowermost edge of the hatchframe side 49 adjacent thereto. The iiange l is preferably secured to the car roof adjacent the hatch 'i and the wall 45 is spaced from the member Q8 to provide the opening 5l. The walls i5 are spaced apart to provide the duct 52 and each is ared inwardly 54 to prevent moisture from splashing into the duct 52. A baiiie plate 55 is provided to prevent communication between the lading compartment 8 and flue 36 between the pans 4l) and additional baflie plates 55 are provided for the same purpose between the pans i0 and the side walls 51 of the car.

InVFig. 1, the direction of motion of the car is such that the end 65 is the head or leading end. Air is trapped by the cover S and forced to ow downwardly through the iiue 68 as shown by the arrows in Fig. l. It iiows into thespace Il! and gradually escapes through the oor rack 9 to the lading compartment 8. Some of the air trapped by the cover1 G may flow downwardly through the duct 52 `into the upper part of the lading compartment 8 in contact with the lading stored therein. The outiiowing air flows upwardly through the duct 52, openings 5l and finally out through the hatches Il?, Moisture ilowing through the hatches is conducted to the floor of the car by the flues 3S to the floor Il of the car from where it is drained off through the water sealed drains l2.

It is to be understood that both ends of the car are substantially similar so that the ventilating system operates in a substantially similar manner regardless of direction of motion of the car, air entering through the hatches at the leading end'of the car. In the perspective of Fig. 3, air is shown entering and leaving the car through the same hatch. It is not intended that such ow should occur simultaneously but the perspective drawing is included to show the path followed by air entering or leaving.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention,vthough it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator having a hatch in the roof adjacent each end of the car and a foraminous rack for supporting a lading onV the floor of the car and providing a space therebetween, the combination of a flue associated with each end wall of the car communicating with said space, a pan substantially below each of said hatches arranged to direct air iiowing therethrough to the adjacent flue, outlets for the escape of air from the lading compartment of the car through said hatches, and means to trap moisture entering said hatches.

2. In a refrigerator having a hatch in the roof adjacent each end of the car, a foraminous rack for supporting a lading on the floor of the car and providing a space therebetween, and a hatch frame surrounding each of said hatches, the combination of a partition spaced from each end wall to form flues communicating with said space, the tops of said partitions being spaced below said roof, a pan substantially .below` each of said hatches extending between the 'upper part of the adjacent partition and the hatch frame side remote therefrom, said pan having an edge underlying said roof, and a wall upstanding from said edge and spaced from said roof to form an opening communicating with the lading compartment of the car.

3. In a refrigerator having a hatch in the roof adjacent each end of the car, a foraminous rack for supporting a lading on the floor of the car and providing a space therebetween, and a hatch frame surrounding each of said hatches, the combination of a partition spaced from each end wall to form fiues communicating with said space, the tops of said partitions being spaced below said roof, a pan substantially below each of said hatches sloping downwardly toward the adjacent flue and extending between the upper part of the adjacent partition and the hatch frame side remote therefrom, outlets for the escape of air from the lading compartment of the car through said hatches, and means to trap moisture entering said hatches.

4. In a refrigerator having a hatch in the roof adjacent each end of the car, a foraminous rack for supporting a lading on the floor of the car and providing a space therebetween and a hatch frame surrounding each of said hatches, the combination of a partition spaced from each end wall to form iiues communicating with said space, the tops of said partitions being spaced below said roof, a pan substantially below each of said hatches extending between the upper part of the adjacent partition and the hatch frame side remote therefrom, said pan having an edge underlying said roof and a wall upstanding from said edge and spaced from said roof to form an opening communicating with the lading compartment of the car, the upper edge of said wall being flared toward said pan to prevent moisture from splashing through said opening.

5. In a refrigerator having a hatch in the roof adjacent each end of the car, a foraminous rack for supporting a lading on the floor of the car and providing a space therebetween, and a hatch frame surrounding each of said hatches, the combination of a partition spaced from each end wall to form flues communicating with said space, the tops of said partitions being spaced below said roof, a pan substantially below each of said hatches extending between the upper part of the adjacent partition and the hatch frameside remote therefrom, said pan having an edge underlying said roof and a wall upstanding from said edge and spaced from said roof to form an opening communicating with the lading compartment of the car, the portionof the roof above said wall being at a higher elevation than the lower edge of the hatch frame side adjacent thereto.

6. In a refrigerator car having a pair of spaced apart hatches in the roof adjacent one of the walls of the car, a rack arranged to supporta lading upon the i'loor of the car and provide a space therebetween, and hatch frames surrounding said hatches, the combination of a partition spaced from said eating with said space, the top of said partition being spaced from said roof, spaced apart pans substantially belowv said hatches extending between the upper part of said partition and the hatch frame side remote therefrom thereby forming a path for air from said hatches to said flue, the adjacent edges of said pans underlying the portion of the roof between said `hatches and walls upstanding from said edges to form a duct therebetween, said walls being spaced from said portion of the roof to form openings, thereby providing a path for air from the lading compartment through said duct and said openings to said hatches.

'7. In a refrigerator having a hatch in the roof adjacent each end of the car and a foraminous rack for supporting a lading on the floor of the car and providing a space therebetween, the combination of a iiue associated with each end wall of the car communicating with said space, a pan substantially below each of said hatches wall to form a flue communi-- arranged to direct air flowing therethrough to 4the adjacent iiue and outlets for the escape of `end wall to form flues communicating with said space, the tops of said partitions being spaced below said roof, a pan substantially below each of said hatches slopingY downwardly toward the adjacent flue and extending between theupper part of the adjacent partition and the hatch frame side remote therefrom, and outlets for the escape of air from the lading compartment of the car through said hatches.

9. In a refrigerator car having a pair of spaced apart hatches in the roof adjacent one of the end walls of the car and a rack arrangedfto support a lading upon the floor of the car and provide a space between lthe lading and the floor, the combination of a iiue associatedl with said wall and communicating at its lower end with said space and means associated with each of said hatches to direct air flowing therethrough into the upper part of said flue, said means having side walls adjacent the center of the car eX- tending upwardly and spaced apart to form a vertically extending duct below the portion of the roof between said hatches arranged to provide air communication between said hatches and the upper part of the lading compartment of the car.

CHARLES D. BONSALL. 

